The Horace Hopper Adventures is a totally unique and original approach with the goal of enhancing Preschooler's enthusiasm for learning music. In addition, it has the best orchestrations and graphics of anything of its type on the market. The three basic stories that the 12 Adventures develop are very positive and exciting! They include: getting a trainload of baby diapers through a snowstorm to Denver; rescuing Dr. String on the moon; saving a lost lamb in a giant cave at the Grand Canyon; and traveling back through time to Scotland in the mid 1800's.

We have had excellent results with three to five-year-olds. Actually my children were about three when I started teaching them. Research suggests three years is a time when learning musical skills can later help the child in math and science. Older children including five year olds will benefit from the Adventures especially if they are just starting out.

A small inexpensive keyboard is fine. Horace helps you play 23 simple melodies on the black keys. Each simple melody has a beautiful accompaniment ranging from harp to full orchestra. This makes the songs sound great even though your child is only using one finger on a small keyboard. For instance, the "Train Song" in Adventure 3 is played with one finger on each hand., but the orchestra playing with the child has full strings, French horn, percussion, and piano. It sounds fabulous and it keeps them on the beat!

There are complete, simple instructions for each adventure. We are not trying to teach preschoolers to sound like Mozart here. This is very simple material. I suggest that you first play through each Adventure yourself while listening to the CD. Then it will be very simple to guide your child through the Adventure.

In the beginning, an Adventure will only take a few days. For instance, in the opening Adventure, "The Greatest Snow on Earth", Horace is teaching the child the thunder side of the piano by having him play a low note for thunder, and the bell side by playing high notes as Diana drives her sleigh. He also teaches the child to play softly so the actors can hear their lines. This normally takes only two or three sessions to complete. Later an Adventure may take over a week. In Adventure 11, "The Treasure Cave Lighthouse Mystery", Horace shows how to play the "Chime Song". This Adventure may take over a week.

Absolutely! We have 17 pictures to trace or draw and put on the keyboard to learn the instruments in the orchestra. We have activities such as looking at the moon craters with binoculars; finding the North Star; making puppets from two socks with Diana's eyes and Beret and Smith's glasses and top hat to trace and paste on. The child can even play the notes with the puppets.

How much can my child learn about music and playing from these Adventures?

A Bunch! But it all depends on whether mom, dad, or an adult will spend 15 minutes a day with the child. We have children who have completed the course and know sharps, flats, quarter notes, playing with the beat, loud, soft, high and low pitches, synchronizing both hands together, and actually reading 5 notes in the treble clef. However, the main idea behind the Adventures is simply to help the child learn to love music. Not all children can do all the things in the course. It's not necessary to play perfectly in order to increase their memory and coordination. They will learn what they can learn and it will benefit them.

Horace Hopper wants your child to begin the musical adventure right away! In the unlikely event of a problem, a defective Horace Hopper CD will be promptly replaced at no charge to you. Simply call 1-888-291-4174 within thirty days of purchase and ask for Horace.

"Horace" is effective in involving the parent - exposing young students to the keyboard in an entertaining and educational manner. I am most impressed with the time and care taken to compose music with integrity, quality, and variety. This provides a positive aesthetic and artistic foundation for youngsters. Ronald E. Predl - Professor of Music, Tulsa University